Agricultural implement.



W. H. MGB. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMBNT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8. 1909.

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witwassen n M .Q EERIGULTURAL i3, lt).

To oli whom 'may concern.:

it known tiret l', "-'iLLrAiii El. Rieni oi? Rochester, in the county of Monroe and Stute of N ew York? have invented cert-sin new nml useful improvements in Agricultural implements; and l do hereby declare the `followingto be n full, clear7 end exact description or' vthe seine., reference being lied to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked Jthereon.

The present'. invention relates to agricultural implei'nents, and more particularly to the type known :is diggers which excevete the earth and curry il; with the potatoes, or similar growing articles, to e. separator to remove the earth, nn object of the invention being to protect ngninst the action of stones, dirt or other metter the pulleys that guide the endless conveyor in proximity to the cavntor.

Another object of the invention is to provide n simple and inexpensive construction which will be strong enough to withstand the rough uses 'to which it is to be subjected, und o further object is to provide en improved ineens for mounting the conveyer on the lrnme in order to facilitarle the adjustment und the repnir thereof.

To these und other ends the invention consislzs incertain improvements :ind co1nbix1ations oill parts all ns will be hereinafter more fully described7 the novel features being pointed ont in the claims at the end of the specification.

,ln the drawings: Figure l is n View in longitudinal section of that portion of a potato digger to which my improvements nre directed; Fig'. Q is n detail view illustrating one oit the guards or shields for the forward pulleys about which the conveyer passes; Figs. 3 :1nd 4i are sections on the lines wel. und om?) respectively of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is e etnil sectional view showing the guard re moved; and Fig. 6 is o detail plan View of the excavator and the forward portion of the conveyor illustrating the manner of bridging the-space between these parts and the conveyor. l y

The subject metter oi' this application has been divided from my application No. 293,167 filed December 26, 1905.

In' the presentembodimentof the inven tion there is employed e freine which prefer" ably comprises an excavator Specification Letter 'renie This application Filed Jennery penetrate the earth, and side pieces extending rearwardly therefrom :ind supported, neer their rear ends on the erle 8 carrying the ground wheels l. The side pieces may be in thei'orin of angle bers 5 encli having its lower llorizontnl flange to tiie nf'le 3 und o. vertical side plate (i secured to and extending upwardly from its horizontal flange.

Preferably arranged between the sides the main freine end supported et its :torwnrd end in proxii'nity to the excavator and etv its rear end neer "che rear end of the main freine, is e. conveyer in the form of en endless chain embodying rods 3 6 extending transversely between the sides of the ironie and connected :it their ends by links 1'?, noch or' the rods in this instance being; duced zit 18 and leavingthe ends of the links il' turning thereon :ind by npsetti'iig the ends of the rods 19.

The forward end of the conveyor is pref ernbly supported in proximity to the exon-- vntor by guiding' pulleys or 'wheels it" lo cated nt opposite sides olf the conveyor and erich having an integral stud 9 turning in n benring; S that is formel in bracket 7 prVit ernhlydetnclinbly secured to the under oi nn angle bnr 5 bybolls li. The outer end oi" erich roller may be providwl with nu annular flange or rim which engages he rods of the conveyerns they travel around. rlhe rear end the conveyor may be ported by sprocket wheels i5 arranged ois transversely @monding shaft i2 that is driven by n pinion l thereon nrefillingl with n large geni le on 'wheel el.

edges of the lov-:er jgnrt of the convey-- ers muy oc supported' above she earth to pr tect the conveyor ng .inst stones or the ond the seine time to prevent its digging into the enrtln The supports in this stance nre in the giorni of runners 2G, encli bolted to one of the :ingle ners et 2l and extending laterally et 22 beneath. the l'noiiin'iete pulley and the conveyor to form n shoe, the forward end of which' is turned or deflected 'upwardly et 28 and has its inner edge bei# eled or inclined :it 9d to deflect stones end other obstacles inwardly and beyond. the inner side of the proximate 1oullev. The lower le@ of the conveyor may be held in elineznent with shoes by pulleys sns- Aneeded by erins i3 the the tiene@ secured thereto i nieces 'o2 l i il() l and about the rear f To protect the pulleys against the stones or other material dropping through' the upper lap of the conveyer and held' on the lower lap, there may be employed shields or guard strips preferably attached to the sides of the frame and converging at 26 toward each other between the laps of the conveyer portions of said guiding wheels or pulleys, a forwardly over the inner end of the pulley. A top 25 on each shield may project outwardly into proximity to tlie rear face ofrits pulley and close the space in rear of the latter between the converging face 26 and the frame side. Preferably each guard is loosely mounted so that it may rise and fall with the conveyer and'to this end eacli runner 20 is provided with verticallyVJ arranged slots 28 in which work integra-l bosses 29 on one of the guards, bolts 30 serving to hold the guards in position. To the end that the guards will ride freely on the conveyer, each is provided with a depending lip or rib 3l on its inner edge beyond the links 17.

The space between the forward end of the conveyer and 'the rear end of the excavator, or shovel, is clised by a plurality of gates 34 pivoted side by side for independent movement'on the transversely extending shaft 35 and held in a normal position by fingers 36 engaging the lower side of the shovel. The rear ends'of the gates are pointed or tapered and lie in proximity to the conveyer so as to providey an apron which will conduct all the material received by the shovel onto the conveyer. lhe points of the gates being separated they are only required tomove or yield slightly upward to allow articles lodged on the conveyer to pass upwardly beneath them. i v

In operation, the iachine is drawnfoi wardly by any suitab e draft means causing Athe earth to be excavated and carried upwardlyonto the conveyer, the space between the excavator and the conveyer being bridged' by, the gates which yield upwardly when stones or other material are caught in the conveyer and carried completely around to the'gates. The shoes 22 deflect the stones on theunder side of the lower lap of the conveyer away from the pulleys and also deflectmaterial'in advance of the conveyer asl away from the pulleys, while the guard faces 2 6 of the shield act to deiiect stones away from the pulleys on the upper side of the lower lap, and the tops 25 prevent stones wedging behind the shields 26.

' A digger embodying tliese improvements is inexpensive to manufacture and simple in operation, and it is not liable to be placed out of commission because of breakage due to stones becoming wedged between the conveyer-and the supporting and guiding pnlleys; Further the forward end of tlie conveyer is protected against stones, stumps or linger 27 being extended l guided about the pulleys,

other obstructions which would tend to d is' V arrange or break the conveyer I claim as my invention:

1. In a'potato digger, an elevator frame, a conveyer mounted for movement thereon, conveyer guiding wheels journaled in the sides of the frame, and .guard strips attached to the sides of the frame and converging toward each other about the rear portions of the said guiding wheels.

2. In a digger, the combination with an excavator, an endless conveyer, and pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the conveyer for supporting the latter, of shields located between the laps of the conveyer and having faces converging toward each other about the pulleys.

3. In a digger, the combination with an excavator, an endless conveyerand pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the conveyer `for supporting the latter in proximity to the excavator, of shields arranged between the laps .of the conveyers, having forwardlyv oonverging faces and covering the rear faces of the pulleys.

4. In a digger, the combination With a frame having an excavator at its forward end and side pieces extending rearwardly i therefrom, an endless conveyer arranged between the side pieces and pulleys carried by the side pieces near the forward end of the conveyer for supporting opposite sides of the latter, of forwardly converging shields extending over the inner ends of the pulleys and about their rear faces.

5. ln a digger,'the combination with an excavator, of an endless conveyer embodying transversely extending rods, pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the conveyer for guiding the latter in proximity to the ex-f cavator, and shields for the pulleys arranged between the laps of the conveyer covering the rear faces of the pulleys and having faces arranged to shift material along the rods and away from the pulleys.

6. Ina digger, the combination with a frame having an vexcavator and side pieces extending rearwardly from the excavator, of pulleys carried by the side pieces in proximity to the excavator, anrendless conveyer and shields forthe pulleys having converging about the rear faces of the latter and top walls extending outwardlyA from the converging walls to close the space between the converging walls and the pulleys.

7. In a diggenthe combination with an excavator, of an endless conveyer arranged in rear of the excavator, guiding pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the conveyer in proximity to the excavator, and shieldsfor the rear faces of the pulleys, having walls pulleys and top walls inclosing the space directly in rear of the pulleys.

news/i shields for the pulleys arranged between the laps of the conveyer and cooperating with Vthe lower lap.

4 11. ln a digger, the combination with a trame having an excavator thereon and side pieces extendinof rearwardly from the -eX- b cavator, of an endless conveyor operating 8. ln digger, the combination with an excavator, a conveyer, and pulleys guiding latter on opposite sides in proximity to the excavator, of shields for the rear faces of Ithe pulleys, cach having a topl arranged in proximity to the pulleys and a forwardly projecting end extending over the end of the proximate. pulley.

9. In a digger, the combination withan. excavator, an endless conveyer receiving material from the excavator', and pulleys for supporting the conveyerin proximity to the excavator, of loosely supported shields for the rear faces of the pulleys.

l0. In a digger, the combination with an excavator, an endless conveyer receiving may terial `from the excavator, and pulleys for guiding` the conveyenof loosely supported the conveyor in proximity to the excavaior, and shields supported loosely between 'the laps of the conveyor, and having faces delecting material laterally away from the pulleys. i VVLLAM H. RCE.

Witnesses l HAROLD ll` SIMMS, HENRY W'. HALL;

between the side pieces, pulleys for guiding' 

